The invention relates to a device for the mechanical compaction of filling materials in cavities (holes) in teeth. To be more precise, the invention relates to a compactor which is used to press light-curable plastic fillings, glass ionomers and chemically curable materials in place in a cavity.
Today""s methods and tools for plastic fillings of so-called Class II fillings (i.e., in the back teeth) do not give a satisfactory result with respect to compactness and thus strength in the fillings. For this reason, it is today a widespread problem that fillings of this kind have an unduly short life, that is to say that they fall out wholly or in part a short time after the filling has been placed. This means that the dentists receive complaints from their patients and must put in new fillings. The object of the compactor according to the invention is to eliminate or at least significantly reduce this problem.
Today. plastic fillings account for 60% of all fillings and they are gradually replacing the less popular amalgam fillings. Amalgam fillings have acquired an ever-poorer reputation because of the possible effects they may have on a person""s health owing to their high mercury content.
The instrument that dentists use today is adapted to conventional amalgam fillings, and is not designed for modern filling materials such as plastic fillings, glass ionomers and composites.
The closest instrument found today that is comparable with the compactor of the invention is the so-called xe2x80x9clight-tipxe2x80x9d which is produced in Sweden. This product is in fact transparent, but is made of a hard material and it is the intention that the tip should be mounted on the end of the curing lamp. However, its shape is entirely different from that of the compactor according to the application. It only makes points of contact with the adjacent tooth. For these reasons, the same pressure is not obtained with this product and nor is the contraction which occurs when the tip is withdrawn after curing avoided.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,030,093 describes a method and apparatus for placing, compacting and shaping a light-curable tooth filling material. It describes a combination apparatus which ensures that the filling material is hardened by means of light.
SE 435 447 describes a method and device for making a light-curable tooth filling. A conical adapter is mounted on the end of a light means, and this is supposed to facilitate the curing of the filling material in the deeper parts of a cavity.
The object of the present compactor is to provide a device where mechanical compaction of the filling material can be carried out before and during curing.
This is accomplished in that to obtain mechanical effect on a tooth filling in a cavity during placement, use is made of the compactor wherein there is an opening for partially movable connection thereof to an instrument for the transmission of said mechanical effect, the compactor being made of a transparent and partly elastic material.